Beneath the Irish Moon
by theunluckymagician
Summary: Seamus learns that oddities can be appealing. His mother is giving in on moving to London, his best friend is constantly grumpy after a breakup, and all he wants to do is spend more time with Luna Lovegood. SeamusLuna post HBP
1. Defenestrating A Fantasy

**Disclaimer**: I've decided I want to write a pressure-free story, so if some of my facts are wrong or little things don't make sense, just go with it! This is going to be a Seamus/Luna story. It sounds crazy, and well I think it's insane too, but I want to give myself a challenge. This does contain HALFBLOOD PRINCE SPOILERS. don't say I didn't warn you.

- Ferin

ps: 'defenestrate' means to throw out of a window. :)

Seamus awoke to the same fight he'd listened to everyday since he'd arrived home for the summer. It wasn't that his parents were often subject to marital spats, but recently things had taken a rough turn. They constantly argued about what was the best course of action for the coming wizarding war. Frankly, Seamus was getting a bit tired of hearing about it.

"I wouldn't dare spend more than 15 minutes with that family of yours!" Mrs. Finnigan announced, rather loudly.

"An' what exactly is the ma'er with 'em?" Mr. Finnigan demanded to know. Seamus could feel the floor shake with a stomp, most likely his mother's, and rolled out of bed. He attempted to cover his yawn while stretching his arms above his head. After a good head scratch, he stumbled down the stairs.

"What is the matter with them! You know as well as I do that not a single one of that lot can stay sober! Not to mention they sent my only son a flask for his birthday!" Mrs. Finnigan responded, and slammed a few pots and pans around for emphasis. Seamus had never heard of the flask incident. He suspected his mother had never sent his 'present' to Hogwarts.

"He's my son too! Besides, 'twas just a wee bit of Irish humor! They didn' mean any harm of it! You're only complainin' because they don't know about you an' Seamus!" Mr. Finnigan speculated, unable to hide his grin. Seamus leaned against the doorway silently and listened, amused.

"Well, it doesn't make much sense, does it? If you are so anxious to have us near other wizards with Dumbledore gone, why would you take us somewhere that I can't pull out my wand?" Mrs. Finnigan asked, clearly exasperated.

"You know as well as I do tha' I'd be telling 'em. Why would they love ye any less? I just want my wife and me boy to be safe," he reassured her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I know, I know. It will be odd going back to London. I quite like living here now," Mrs. Finnigan said and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Well, Ireland does have that appeal . . . "

Seamus cleared his throat to stop things from going any farther. He had already seen more than he wanted to before breakfast.

"So, should I be packin' me bags then?" he asked with a chuckle, plopping down at the kitchen table.

"We haven't finalized anything, Seamus, so never you mind. Now, you have to promise me that when you apparate you'll be extra careful not to splinch yourself! The Floo network is too dangerous, but I don't want to be keeping you out of Diagon Alley!" Mrs. Finnigan fussed, trying hard not to slip back into the habit of biting her nails.

"Yes'm. It's too bad you can't come with me, Da.'! I know I've gotten you hooked on Quidditch!" Seamus joked with a grin.

"Now, you said Dean's mum is going to be there with you?" Mrs. Finnigan asked, running her fingers through her hair.

"Yes'm! We've been o'er this a hundred times! I know you're afraid I'm goin' to be attacked by some death eater, but even Dean's mum says she's bringin' a few friends. I'll be fine," Seamus reassured her and pulled on his jumper. Before his mother could say another word, he had disappeared with a loud 'pop'.

Dean was waiting for him outside of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, one of the only businesses left open in Diagon Alley. Seamus suspected that Dean had finally matured a little bit. When Seamus had asked him to go to the twins' joke shop a few weeks earlier, Dean had let out a grunt and muttered some excuse about being stocked up on childish toys. Seamus didn't bother trying to figure out what had gotten Dean in such a rut. The twins were Weasleys, and Dean had been annoyed with one particular Weasley for some time.

Seamus did try and warn Dean that Ginny would probably not be a long term relationship. Seamus himself had been interested in Ginny toward the beginning of her fourth year, when she was going out with some Ravenclaw fellow, but he saw the way she looked at Harry Potter and knew that it wasn't worth it. What Seamus hadn't counted on was Harry developing mutual feelings. Everything had come as a shock in his 6th year, really. He was lucky at least to have brought his mum around to the idea that Harry really wasn't a liar in constant need of the world's attention.

"I suppose I shouldn't have been so harsh to you before, Seamus. I was just still a little upset about our last night . . . well, you know. I figure now I should spend as much time with you as possible. Who knows if Hogwarts will even be open for our last year!" Dean said finally, breaking the silence that had made both boys rather uncomfortable.

"S' all right, mate. I didn' take it personally. I'm looking forward to a day with just us two, and not the whole bloody lot of Gryffindors!" Seamus exclaimed and gave Dean a pat on the shoulder. Dean's expression, however, turned quickly to guilty, a sheepish grin upon his face.

"Yes, well about that . . . my mum has made a new friend it seems. I didn't think much of it at first. Mum said she had gotten set up on a blind date and it went horribly, but he was such a good wizard that she figured they could still chat once in awhile. It was a bit weird, I must admit, but anyway . . . the point is that he brought his daughter along, and I assume we'll have to keep her company," Dean explained, hardly taking a breath. Seamus sighed and placed his hands in his pockets, casually placing more weight on one foot than the other.

"Well, between you and me, as long as she's got nice eyes and a pretty smile . . . it'll be you I'm trying to ditch by the end of the day," Seamus admitted in a whisper. Dean began to laugh wildly and pulled Seamus closer to him.

"That's all fine and good if you like the loony ones," he whispered back just as Luna Lovegood's face appeared beside his own.

"Hullo Seamus! I had no idea you'd be coming along with us!" Luna said cheerfully.

Seamus had a feeling he would have to throw his fantasy out the window. The day was not going to go as he had pictured.


	2. Ravenclaws Are Never Wrong

**Disclaimer:** I am trying to show Seamus has an Irish accent. If that is failing miserably, I'm very sorry. It is a really odd pairing, Luna and Seamus, but I felt that it needed to be done. If Luna is a little OOC to you, it's only because I am taking creative liscence and trying to make this work. I think she's in character enough so that it's reasonable. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter. There's definitely more to come!

- Ferin

**ps**: HBP SPOILERS! I have warned you.  
**pps**: I don't own these characters, duh.

Seamus and Dean walked quickly into Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes, Luna following awkwardly behind them.

"I'm sorry, mate. I would have warned you beforehand, but it was a last minute thing!" Dean explained, rubbing the back of his neck.

"S'alright! I mean, she was brilliant with Quidditch commentary. Tha's got to count for somethin' I suppose," Seamus responded with a chuckle and picked up what seemed like an ordinary cauldron.

"My friend Lydia had one of those! If you said the right spell, it was supposed to turn the color of the potion you wanted to make. She got caught the second day of class. I remember telling her, 'Lydia, as a Ravenclaw you have the responsibility to be devoted to each of your classes no matter what the circumstances. Besides, that cauldron looks as though a trackledorf curse has been placed upon it!', but she didn't listen. No one ever does," Luna told them and looked at the object with disdain.

"Ravenclaws are never wrong," Dean said, rolling his eyes.

"Not to mention Slughorn wasn't blind," Seamus said with a smirk, "I never did get an invitation to those parties of his. I don't suspect I'll be learnin' about them now."

"Someone I know, who shall remain nameless, got invited to a couple of them. She told me it was rather boring," Dean informed them while staring disappointedly at the pigmy puffs.

"Ginny's liked Harry for ages, it wasn't anything personal. You know, when I went to one of Slughorn's parties with Harry, just as friends, I couldn't hold his attention for a second. He's brilliant though, don't you think? I have a great respect for Gryffindor bravery, but you can't fool the sorting hat, can you? I have so many thoughts that I couldn't be anything but a Ravenclaw," Luna explained, eventually wandering off to look at the large assortment of love potions.

"I had no idea she talked this much. She's always really quiet at Hogwarts," Dean began, but his voice drifted off.

"A typical girl though, righ'? She's o'er there looking at stuff to use on poor unsuspecting fellas like ourselves," Seamus said in a fierce whisper.

"I'd like to have a word with the owners of this shop!" Luna shouted from her position by the window. She wore a look of complete disbelief, which turned into anger as she crossed her arms over her chest and began searching the store wildly with her eyes.

Seamus had a feeling that he was about to see a side of Luna that no one had witnessed before. If looks could kill, any person within her line of sight would be left to rot wherever they fell. Unfortunately, this was not the first time Seamus has seen such a frightening facial expression. His mother often gave him a look or two when he gave her attitude, or when he took his father's side in an argument.

"That would be I, miss. It appears as though you are unhappy with some aspect of my shop," Fred Weasley said politely and smiled hesitantly at the petite girl in front of him.

"I thought I should explain to you that true love has no price. It is a different type of magic entirely. Therefore, there is no possible way you can bottle it and sell it to whomever decides they're struggling with personal relationships. Only a greedy graplenarf would do such a thing!" Luna scolded and stormed out of the shop, her blonde hair billowing out behind her.

"Let her go! I'm certainly not responsible for her insanity!" Dean told Seamus and continued looking through the mysterious products on the shelves.

Seamus felt a knot begin to tie itself in his stomach. It wasn't as if he hadn't been a complete jerk before, but this time it seemed different. Luna seemed different. He knew that Luna wasn't the sort of person that was paid attention to, and being an outcast day after day was probably not an ideal situation. He and Dean were best friends, and it wasn't often Seamus decided that Dean was in the wrong about a particular subject. This time he was sure he had better just follow his instincts. A good Irish boy would never let an upset young lady wander through an alley alone. He found company to be extremely important in times as shady as these. The days of Voldemort's return were, sadly, a completely different world.

"Dean, have a heart, will ye? She's a good person. Look, I'll go an' talk with her awhile and you can stay as long as ye like," Seamus said finally and left Dean to his own devices.

When Seamus found Luna, she was staring blankly at the window of the abandoned Ollivander's wand shop. She had taken off her sweater and had tied it around her waist in an odd fashion. It was considerably hotter than it had been when they first arrived in Diagon Alley, but Seamus didn't feel like revealing his freckled arms. Instead he wiped some sweat from his forehead and pretended as though he hadn't noticed the air had gone stale.

"I think Fred Weasley is in a state of shock ye know. I don' think anyone but his mum talks to him like that," Seamus started in conversation.

"I would have yelled, but it didn't seem necessary at the time. It's not that I hate him or what he's selling, it's just that there is a difference between being funny and . . . lying," Luna's voice rang in his ears.

"Well said, Luna. I guess I can see your point," Seamus responded and stood motionless beside her. He couldn't quite figure out what Luna was staring at, but he figured he might as well try and see things from her point of view for a while. He could hear Dean's footsteps behind them, but he didn't turn around until Dean suggested they get a move on.

"I've got to get my mum's birthday present. Would you mind coming into the candle shop over there?" Dean asked Seamus, who was staring at Luna with an expression of confusion. Seamus broke his gaze and smirked at Dean.

"I don' think I can handle the smell. I already have to put up with me mum's obsession!" he replied with a chuckle. Dean rolled his eyes and hesitated at the door.

Seamus could tell that he was contemplating whether or not he should ask Luna if she wanted to step inside, but he disappeared a moment later. Luna sat on the steps that connected the alley to the neighboring shop.

"Aren't you concerned about blockin' the flow of traffic?" Seamus asked her jokingly. Luna pointed behind her at the boarded up windows, then to Seamus's spot in the middle of the alley as if to say "aren't you?".

Seamus shrugged and slowly sat himself beside her, whistling a random tune. He knew that allowing for silence would be subjecting himself to torture.

"Why don't you play Quidditch?" Luna asked suddenly and turned to look at him. Seamus stopped whistling and tried to avoid her eyes. There was something behind them that frightened him a little, though he wasn't sure what that was.

"I've tried out for the house team, but I suppose I'm no good. Da says I'm all spirit and no coordination," he explained, but couldn't bring himself to smile. It was still hard for him to think about the fact that there might not be a house team to cheer on anymore. Luna made a noise that sounded like "hmmmn" and shielded her eyes against the sun.

"Heard any good jokes lately?" she asked and bobbed her head as if listening to music that only she could hear.

Seamus knew that she was absolutely serious, but he couldn't help but chuckle. He didn't deny he was thankful for the small talk. It seemed to keep his mind of the rising temperature of midday.

"Well, not recently. I can tell ye a good Irish one," Seamus stated and drummed his fingers at his side.

"An Irish joke is as good as any," she replied and waited for him to tell it. Her sense of calm embarrassed Seamus in a strange way. He cleared his throat and stretched leisurely out over the steps.

"In life, there are only two things to worry about. Either you are well or you are sick. If you are well, there is nothing to worry about, but if you are sick, there are only two things to worry about. Either you will get well or you will die. If you get well, there is nothing to worry about, but if you die, there are only two things to worry about. Either you will go to heaven or hell. If you go to heaven, there is nothing to worry about. And if you go to hell, you'll be so busy shaking hands with all your friends you won't have time to worry," he recited.

Luna's laughter at his side surprised him. It wasn't often that anyone bothered laughing at his corny jokes. He had stopped telling them to the other Gryffindors a long time ago.

"Seamus, you're going to have to tell me another one!" she said excitedly.

He smiled brightly and nodded his head in agreement. He never expected his mood to lighten so significantly due to 'Loony' Luna Lovegood.


End file.
